Sunday, July 8, 2012

Growing up I only ate white chocolate when
it was brought as a gift by relatives visiting from London. I remember with special fondness Tobleronewhite chocolate bars with honey and almond nougat which were savored one or
two ‘triangles’ at a time. As far as I
can tell, white chocolate appears to be more popular in Europe than North
America.

The United States, Canada, and the
European Union require true white chocolate to contain at least 20% cocoa
butter or fat. However, much of what is
sold as white chocolate contains no cocoa butter at all. Some manufacturers pass off a confection made
of sugar, milk powder, and hydrogenated vegetable oil (from non-cocoa sources)
as white chocolate. This is what most white chocolate chips are made from.

Besides a 2008 guest post of my friend
Sarah, this is the first Treat a Week recipe I have made with white chocolate. This early summer cheesecake benefited from
the strawberry season which was at its peak in early June.

3. On
stovetop or in microwave melt white chocolate with milk, checking frequently
and stirring until smooth.

4. In
a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate/milk
mixture.

5. Pour
half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons of strawberry sauce over the batter.
Pour remaining batter into pan, and
again spoon 3 tablespoons of strawberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with
the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.

5. Bake
for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center is almost set. Keep cheesecake in the oven with the heat
turned off for an 30-60 additional minutes.
Cool at room temperature for 2 hours, cover with foil, and refrigerate
for 8 hours before removing from pan.

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Welcome to TREAT A WEEK, which features original recipes from around the world. Although I have a soft spot for dessert and brunch, my recipes cover all meals. I try to bring a cultural and historical perspective to food, and love to feature recipes specific to less known holidays. I hope you will enjoy reading this blog. Please feel free to comment - including questions and constructive criticism.
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Unless otherwise noted, all recipes are the original creation of AKR. All photos by AKR and LPJ. Please do not post or publish without citing. Contact me if you have any questions: treataweek (at) gmail (dot) com.